News Releases
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) spoke on the Senate floor in opposition to the nomination of California Attorney General Xavier Becerra to be Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
“In recovering from a once-in-a-century public health emergency, Americans need to have confidence our HHS Secretary understands the intricacies of health care policy and has an eye to the future as we improve on our pre-pandemic vulnerabilities, protecting future generations from experiencing similar difficult situations,” said Sen. Moran. “While Attorney General Becerra served on a health care-focused subcommittee as a United States Representative, he has no further experience in public health or medicine. He also lacks the executive experience that would be useful in running a complex executive branch department like HHS, which is involved in the nationwide vaccine rollout and now the regulatory implementation of the recent $1.9 trillion package.”
“Americans deserve to know their voices will be heard when it comes to conversations surrounding health care policy,” Sen. Moran continued. “Ideological or moral disagreements should not be met with legal challenges. Americans need to know their government is working together to find common-ground that will protect all strongly held personal and religious beliefs, including the belief in the sanctity of life.”
Click HERE to watch Sen. Moran’s full speech
Remarks as prepared:
“Mr. President: I oppose the confirmation of California Attorney General Becerra to be Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.
“Our future HHS Secretary will be at the helm of rebuilding our country towards normalcy and preparing to address the weaknesses in our healthcare infrastructure brought to light by the pandemic. It will be no small task and its handling will have an impact for years to come. It will require a leader at HHS who has the trust of the public and the requisite healthcare experience.
“Unfortunately, those two factors are missing from the nomination of Attorney General Becerra.
“In recovering from a once-in-a-century public health emergency, Americans need to have confidence our HHS Secretary understands the intricacies of healthcare policy and has an eye to the future as we improve on our pre-pandemic vulnerabilities, protecting future generations from experiencing similar difficult situations.
“While Attorney General Becerra served on a healthcare-focused subcommittee as a United States Representative, he has no further experience in public health or medicine. He also lacks the executive experience that would be useful in running a complex executive branch department like HHS, which is involved in the nationwide vaccine rollout and now the regulatory implementation of the recent $1.9 trillion package.
“The American people need to trust that their HHS Secretary has their best interests at heart and will work for them, regardless of disagreements over ideology. Like a president, cabinet officials work for the entire country and broad public trust is essential.
“As Attorney General Becerra was serving his current role in California, the Trump Administration was making significant regulatory improvements to protect the sanctity of life. Attorney General Becerra then spent much of his time attempting to overturn or ignore the changes. Most recently, Attorney General Becerra actively defended a California law requiring abortion coverage in insurance plans offered by churches. The Office of Civil Rights at HHS ruled on January 24, 2020 the state’s abortion mandate violated a federal law, but Attorney General Becerra refused to comply.
“Americans deserve to know their voices will be heard when it comes to conversations surrounding health care policy. Ideological or moral disagreements should not be met with legal challenges. Americans need to know their government is working together to find common-ground that will protect all strongly held personal and religious beliefs, including the belief in the sanctity of life.
“Thoughtful, bipartisan health care policy matters to Kansans and Americans more than ever. We need a leader at HHS who is eager to serve all of the country even in the face of disagreements; one who has the necessary health care expertise to be successful in this position, and will be an asset to our country in this time of rebuilding.
“I am willing to work in good faith with Attorney General Becerra if he is confirmed, but I intend to oppose his confirmation and urge my colleagues to do the same.”
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